By Michelle Stenzel
Thank you to everyone who took the survey about potential routes for neighborhood greenways on the north side. Based on the votes and comments on 16 routes, below are the top ten that have been submitted to the CDOT Streets for Cycling 2020 project team to be considered initially. We also submitted the other six for consideration at a future time, since each route got some measure of support, and we couldn’t bear leaving them on the cutting room floor.
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| Dickens Street near Oz Park is kind of already a neighborhood greenway. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park) |
As you peruse the list, keep in mind that these are only recommendations for good routes to be considered, as determined by community members. Inclusion on this list does not mean that the street in question will in fact become a neighborhood greenway!
As a matter of fact, if you were able to attend the CDOT Streets for Cycling public meeting last week, you may have heard that the stated plan is to install 10 miles of neighborhood greenways by 2015. And you already know that a one-mile stretch of Berteau in North Center is already designated to become a neighborhood greenway in the next few months. (Read more about the Berteau plan as well as protected bike lanes planned for the west side on this post from Grid Chicago.) So, 10 miles planned for the whole city, 1 mile already on Berteau, the city is divided up into 9 areas for this project... you do the math.
Recommended for initial consideration:
1. Webster (from Lincoln Park West to Clybourn at 2200 N)
2. Wellington (from N. LSD West to Clybourn at 3000 N)
3. Grace (from Lake Shore Drive to Western at 3800 N)
4. Leland (from Lake Shore Drive to Chicago River at 4600 N)
5. Berwyn/Balmoral couplet (from Sheridan to Chicago River at 5400 N)
6. Granville (from Sheridan to Kedzie at 6200 N)
7. Sheffield (from North Ave to Grace at 1000/1200 W)
8. Greenview (from Clybourn to Wilson at 1500 W)
9. Ravenswood (from Wellington to Estes/Touhy at 1800 W)
10. Leavitt (from Wrightwood/Clybourn to Bowmanville/Rosehill Cemetery at 2200 W)
Recommended for future consideration:
1. Lunt from Sheridan to Sacramento/Lerner Park
2. Winnemac/Argyle from Marine Drive to California
3. Roscoe from Lake Shore Drive to Western
4. Wrightwood from Lakeview to Clybourn
5. Maplewood/Rockwell couplet from Bryn Mawr to Pratt/Touhy
6. Glenwood from Argyle to Touhy
Here’s a link to a map laying out the top 10 and alternative 6.
However, although we may need to wait a little for more north side neighborhood greenways, we will certainly not have to wait very long for some protected bike lanes! The stated goal of Mayor Emanuel and CDOT is to plan and install 100 miles of protected bike lanes citywide by 2015.
The North Side Community Advisory Group’s next challenge is to submit input about where north side community members would like to see protected bike lanes and other “Major Bikeway Improvements”.
(Their words, not mine, and I like them!)
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| This mother-daughter team will be thrilled to ride their tandem out of the door zone, once protected bike lanes are installed on Chicago's north side. (Photo: Bike Walk Lincoln Park) |
So please join us at a public meeting of the North Side CAG on Monday, Feb. 20 at Gill Park. My CAG co-leader and I will share with you some of the criteria and considerations to keep in mind, and based on your input and feedback, we will submit suggestions to the Streets for Cycling project team.
RSVP to Michelle at KairiesStenzel dot com if you’re not already on our e-mail list.
North Side Community Advisory Group (open to everyone!)
Meeting to discuss/plan protected bike lane recommendations
Monday, February 20, 2012
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Gill Park
825 W. Sheridan Road
See you there!
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